The Use of the Fracture Table Post for Guidewire Placement in Hip Fracture Surgery

Hip fractures, common among elderly patients, may result in significant disability and mortality. Fixation techniques often involve cannulated screws, sliding hip screws, or intramedullary nails. Optimal implant placement requires precise guidewire insertion from the lateral cortex into the femoral head. Variable femoral anatomy, particularly femoral version, can complicate guidewire placement despite fluoroscopy use, often requiring multiple screw passage attempts. The authors present a novel visual reference using a fracture table inguinal post to estimate femoral version and improve guidewire insertion accuracy. This technique can enhance placement accuracy and reduce the number of guidewire passages in hip fracture fixation. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 35(3):172-173, 2026).